Cleaning refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A cleaning refrigerator, including a main body to store and chill at least one item therein, a plurality of washing units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to cleanse the at least one item in response to spraying a liquid and a cleaning agent within the main body, and a plurality of drying units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to dry the at least one item in response to blowing air within the main body.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to dishware cleaning, and particularly, to a cleaning refrigerator.

2. Description of the Related Art

Modern dishwashers tend to be small in size, which can make them difficult to load with kitchenware. Moreover, the small size of the modern dishwashers can often require multiple wash and/or dry cycles, which leads to more use of resources, such as water and energy.

Sometimes, a refrigerator may be used to temporarily store kitchenware when space is limited due to having larger space than the modern dishwasher. However, conventional refrigerators do not have dishwashing capabilities and are generally used to store food.

Therefore, there is a need for a cleaning refrigerator that combines dishwashing capabilities while also retaining the ability to store food.

SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a cleaning refrigerator.

Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.

The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a cleaning refrigerator, including a main body to store and chill at least one item therein, a plurality of washing units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to cleanse the at least one item in response to spraying a liquid and a cleaning agent within the main body, and a plurality of drying units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to dry the at least one item in response to blowing air within the main body.

The plurality of washing units may be disposed on a ceiling and a base of the main body.

The cleaning refrigerator may further include a cleaning agent compartment disposed within at least a portion of the main body and connected to the plurality of washing units to receive a cleaning agent therein and dispense the cleaning agent to the plurality of washing units during a cleaning cycle.

The cleaning refrigerator may further include a control panel disposed within at least a portion of the main body to control a cleaning cycle of the plurality of washing units and a drying cycle of the plurality of drying units.

The control panel may use a sensor to prevent at least one of the cleaning cycle and the drying cycle from activating in response to detecting a presence of at least one of food and drink within the main body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a cleaning refrigerator, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.

It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.

List of Components

List of Components Cleaning Refrigerator 100 Main Body 110 First Compartment 111 Second Compartment 112 Divider 113 First Door 114 Second Door 115 Door Bins 116 Shelves 117 Washing Units 120 Drying Units 130 Motor 140 Cleaning Agent Compartment 150 Control Panel 160 Drain 170 Power Source 180

FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a cleaning refrigerator 100, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

The cleaning refrigerator 100 may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The cleaning refrigerator 100 may include a main body 110, a plurality of washing units 120, a plurality of drying units 130, a motor 140, a cleaning agent compartment 150, a control panel 160, a drain 170, and a power source 180, but is not limited thereto.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the main body 110 is illustrated to have a rectangular prism shape. However, the main body 110 may be rectangular, circular, conical, triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto.

The main body 110 may include a first compartment 111, a second compartment 112, a divider 113, a first door 114, a second door 115, a plurality of door bins 116, and a plurality of shelves 117, but is not limited thereto.

The first compartment 111 may store at least one item (e.g., food, liquid, beverage, dishware, utensil, etc.) therein. Also, the first compartment 111 may chill the at least one item while disposed within the first compartment 111 using a condenser.

The second compartment 112 may be disposed on at least a portion of the first compartment 111. The second compartment 112 may store the at least one item therein. Also, the second compartment 112 may chill the at least one item while disposed within the second compartment 112 using a refrigeration unit, such as a condenser, a coolant/refrigerant, and a coil system.

The divider 113 may be disposed within at least a portion of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The divider 113 may separate the second compartment 112 from the first compartment 111. In other words, the divider 113 may prevent the at least one item from moving from the first compartment 111 to the second compartment 112 without being extracted from the first compartment 111 prior to being disposed in the second compartment 112.

The first door 114 may be hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the first compartment 111. The first door 114 may move (i.e., pivot, rotate) from closed over the first compartment 111 in a first position to at least partially opened away from the first compartment 111 in a second position. Conversely, the first door 114 may move from opened away from the first compartment 111 in the second position to closed over the first compartment 111 in the first position. It is important to note that the first door 114 may be airtight and water tight while closed. The first door 114 may have a sealant disposed around each edge thereof to form a seal while closed.

The second door 115 may be hingedly disposed on at least a portion of the second compartment 112. The second door 115 may move (i.e., pivot, rotate) from closed over the second compartment 112 in a first position to at least partially opened away from the second compartment 112 in a second position. Conversely, the second door 115 may move from opened away from the second compartment 112 in the second position to closed over the second compartment 112 in the first position. It is important to note that the second door 115 may be airtight and water tight while closed. The second door 115 may have a sealant disposed around each edge thereof to form a seal while closed.

The plurality of door bins 116 may be disposed on at least a portion of the first door 114 and/or the second door 115. Each of the plurality of door bins 116 may store the at least one item therein.

The plurality of shelves 117 may be removably connected within at least a portion of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. For example, the plurality of shelves 117 may be disposed within grooves and/or on pegs within the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. Additionally, each of the plurality of shelves 117 may be constructed as wired and/or mesh shelves. As such, the plurality of shelves 117 may facilitate movement of a liquid (e.g., water, soap, detergent) therethrough.

Each of the plurality of washing units 120 may include a hose, a tube, and a nozzle, but is not limited thereto.

The plurality of washing units 120 may be disposed within at least a portion of at least one wall of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The plurality of washing units 120 may spray the liquid within the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112 to cleanse the at least one item therein.

Alternatively, each of the plurality of washing units 120 may be a washing blade with a plurality of jets disposed on a ceiling and/or a base within the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112, as is commonly known in the art for a dishwasher.

Each of the plurality of drying units 130 may include a blower, a fan, and a heater, but is not limited thereto.

The plurality of drying units 130 may be disposed within at least a portion of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The plurality of drying units 130 may blow air within the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112 to dry the at least one item therein.

The motor 140 may be disposed within at least a portion of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The plurality of washing units 120 and/or the plurality of drying units 130 may activate (i.e., move) in response to rotation of the motor 140.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the cleaning agent compartment 150 is illustrated to be disposed on at least a portion of the first door 114. However, the cleaning agent compartment 150 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the first compartment 111, the second compartment 112, and/or the second door 115. The cleaning agent compartment 150 may receive a cleaning agent (e.g., soap, powder, cleaning capsule) therein. Also, the cleaning agent compartment 150 may be connected to the plurality of washing units 120, such that the cleaning agent is dispensed into the plurality of washing units 120 during a cleaning cycle.

The control panel 160 may include a plurality of buttons, a plurality of switches, a plurality of levers, a dial, a sensor, and a knob, but is not limited thereto.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the control panel 160 is illustrated to be disposed on at least a portion of the first door 114. However, the control panel 160 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the first compartment 111, the second compartment 112, and/or the second door 115. The control panel 160 may control the cleaning cycle of the plurality of washing units 120 and/or a drying cycle of the plurality of drying units 130. Furthermore, the control panel 160 may be used to set a schedule for the cleaning cycle and/or the drying cycle. Also, the control panel 160 may use the sensor to detect whether food and/or drinks are within the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112 to prevent the cleaning cycle and/or the drying cycle from activating.

The drain 170 may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the base of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The drain 170 may allow the liquid to move therethrough to exit the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112.

The power source 180 may include a power inlet, a battery, and a solar cell, but is not limited thereto.

The power source 180 may be disposed within at least a portion of the base of the first compartment 111 and/or the second compartment 112. The power source 180 may provide power to the plurality of washing units 120, the plurality of drying units 130, the motor 140, and/or the control panel 160.

Therefore, the cleaning refrigerator 100 may a spacious alternative to washing and drying dishware than a modern dishwasher. Also, the cleaning refrigerator 100 may reduce the amount of energy resources used to clean dishes due to requiring less cleaning cylces than the dishwasher.

The present general inventive concept may include a cleaning refrigerator 100, including a main body 110 to store and chill at least one item therein, a plurality of washing units 120 disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 to cleanse the at least one item in response to spraying a liquid and a cleaning agent within the main body 110, and a plurality of drying units 130 disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 to dry the at least one item in response to blowing air within the main body 110.

The plurality of washing units 120 may be disposed on a ceiling and a base of the main body 110.

The cleaning refrigerator 100 may further include a cleaning agent compartment 150 disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 and connected to the plurality of washing units 120 to receive a cleaning agent therein and dispense the cleaning agent to the plurality of washing units 120 during a cleaning cycle.

The cleaning refrigerator 100 may further include a control panel 160 disposed within at least a portion of the main body 110 to control a cleaning cycle of the plurality of washing units 120 and a drying cycle of the plurality of drying units 130.

The control panel 160 may use a sensor to prevent at least one of the cleaning cycle and the drying cycle from activating in response to detecting a presence of at least one of food and drink within the main body 110.

Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A cleaning refrigerator, comprising: a main body to store and chill at least one item therein; a plurality of washing units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to cleanse the at least one item in response to spraying a liquid and a cleaning agent within the main body; and a plurality of drying units disposed within at least a portion of the main body to dry the at least one item in response to blowing air within the main body.
 2. The cleaning refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of washing units are disposed on a ceiling and a base of the main body.
 3. The cleaning refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a cleaning agent compartment disposed within at least a portion of the main body and connected to the plurality of washing units to receive a cleaning agent therein and dispense the cleaning agent to the plurality of washing units during a cleaning cycle.
 4. The cleaning refrigerator of claim 1, further comprising: a control panel disposed within at least a portion of the main body to control a cleaning cycle of the plurality of washing units and a drying cycle of the plurality of drying units.
 5. The cleaning refrigerator of claim 4, wherein the control panel uses a sensor to prevent at least one of the cleaning cycle and the drying cycle from activating in response to detecting a presence of at least one of food and drink within the main body. 